Hi friends! It's Rachelle from What the Teacher Wants! I'm here to give you a quick game you can play on Valentine's Day that is a great review of a 100 or 120 chart. They don't even know they are learning! It's called Valentine Battleship and it's our favorite.

Supplies:

*Candy Hearts

*Number Chart (I use a 120 Chart)

The students are placed in pairs. Without letting their partner see, each
student puts 10 candy hearts on different numbers on their number chart chart
{students are sitting back to back}.
Player 1 tells player 2 a number.
If player 2 has that number covered by a candy heart, he/she has to give
that heart to Player 1 (they can say “hit”). If it is not a number covered, the
next player takes a turn (they can say “miss”). The first player to get all of
the candy hearts and clear the other players’ chart is the winner.

It’s here. The LONG stretch. You know, the stretch from Christmas break to
spring break.

Most of us are going
to work in the dark…and driving home in the dark, too!

The weather is cold
and dreary…and there are LOTS
of inside recess periods. UGH!
#thankgoodnessforgonoodle

Do
you find yourself a little uninspired? Tired?

In
need of a little encouragement?

Perhaps you teach in a small school like me, with only one class
per grade level. Do you sometimes feel
alone and in need of someone to challenge and/or support you?

Heck, maybe you even teach at a super-sized school with a
dozen other classes at your level, and a dozen other same grade-level teachers…yet
you still don’t have another teacher with whom you really feel connected or “on
the same” page.

Perhaps that is what you brought you to following
blogs. That
is “my story!”

Keep your eyes open for one near you…and JUST GO! Meet-ups are an awesome way to get connected with
other like-minded teachers. Even if you
are shy and are hesitant to go by yourself because you don’t know anyone, {A-hum…that used to be me!!} step out of your comfort zone and trust me! You will not regret it! Meet-ups are designed to help build
relationships! Give it a try!

Don’t know of one in your area?? Well then, come to “my” area! Many Blog
Hoppers will be hoppin’ on over to Indiana this March for the Spring Teacher-Blogger Meet-Up! We have people coming in from all over the
U.S.!

Below is the basic agenda for the weekend. Join us for the whole weekend, or just a day!

(Please note that if you are interested, there is a link at the bottom of this post you can follow to tentatively register. Once you submit your info, I will send you (via email/message) even more event details, including hotel discount code. Sometimes it's better not to post "too" much info on-line!)

Friday, March 13th

IF YOU CHOOSE... You may check in on Friday night and check out the resort on your own.. or meet up with those of us who check in early! Rooms will be offered at the French Lick Springs Hotel in the "blogger block" for a discounted rate. (There is a concert on the grounds Friday night, so the rate for Friday is higher than Saturday's rate. Friday's rate is $205 and Saturday's rate is $169.) Regular rooms have two queen beds and sleep 4...but there is room to add a roll-away and pack in even more co-workers or blogging friends! The room rate doesn't change...you just have one person book the room and then split the cost! Also, please note that during registration you can indicate that if you are willing to share a room with another teacher(s) and I can match you up with other teachers to save some money!

Saturday, March 14th

12:30 pm - Blogger Meet-Up Luncheon

(Private Meeting Room at the French Lick Springs Hotel)

Join us for a get-to-know-you luncheon event filled with TONS prizes and product give-aways! We guarantee some epic teacher-swag giveaways, my friends! We had over $10,000 in the BEST teacher product giveaways last year... and we are working on surpassing that this year! We will also be playing some seriously fun get to know ya' games, which will result in forming friendships for life! Oh! And I can't forget to mention our annual "Teacher Tool" gift swap game! #funandfunctional

The cost for attending this luncheon event will be $35, which includes your lunch and beverages, as well as a portion of the room reservation/technology fees. This is the ONLY required fee for the entire weekend! The rest of the event (hotel fees, if you choose to stay on site, and the remainder of the meal fees will be on your own, based on your choices!). If you live close, you may choose to drive in for the day. This fee needs to be paid by Feb. 25 to guarantee your registration. (More details for payment will be sent via email/FB messager if you register using link at bottom of this post.)

2:00 pm - Teacher Tips & Tricks for Blogging, TPT and more!

After the luncheon and meet-up fun, we will be having a sharing session about teacher technology, blogging and creating TPT products. Bring some of your best ideas and a list of your favorite resources to share with others! You might want to bring your laptop for this too! This session is totally optional...but is a fun way to share ideas and set up networks for blogging, Pinterest, "linky" parties, etc. Last year's workshop session was INCREDIBLE... and this year's will be even better! We will be sending out an email survey to everyone who registers, asking for topics of interest. Then, we will be recruiting topic discussion leaders with experience/expertise on the hottest teacher topics to help facilitate our group sharing. Oh! And look forward to lots and lots of informal pop-up presentations, as our questions lead us! We will also be doing some round-table sessions with special topic/grade-level break outs. We believe everyone has an area of expertise and something to share!

5:30 pm - Dinner Reservations at Resort Restaurant/s

We will meet up for dinner at one of the resort's casual, but classy restaurants! This event is not required (just in case you plan to bring your spouse and would prefer a romantic dinner!?), but we will be offering group reservations for dinner that will offer an incredible meal at reasonable prices! (We are teachers, ya' know!)

7 pm - After Dinner Options

After dinner, attendees may go their own ways, or travel in groups via complimentary shuttle, to any of the resort's entertainment hot spots! Suggested group after dinner activities include visiting the West Baden Hotel's spectacular dome, where you can enjoy drinks at Ballard's Bar while watching the dome's colored light show, or visiting the French Lick Casino for some gaming fun! Other options include visiting the Xanadu Coffee & Creamery for dessert or gathering with new friends in one of the resort's grand lobbies to share blogging tips and tricks!

We have some incredible surprises in store for you...and GUARANTEED FUN!

You won't want to miss this! We have some awesome sponsors helping us make this PJ Party a night to remember! #eeks #icanhardlywait

Sunday, March 15th

9:30 am - Sunday Breakfast/Brunch

We will meet at the resort's famous breakfast buffet for our last gathering!

Good food, good conversations, and goodbyes!

After brunch, you are free to explore the resort or head home,

re-energized to be the best teacher-blogger you can be!

Wondering if this event is something you might be interested in? Check out what some of last year's attendees have to say...

Annie W. "Spending time with fellow teachers who share my passion for teaching and blogging was SOOOO invigorating and exactly what I needed last year. Heck this meet up is one of the big reasons I decided to become a TPT seller. Loved seeing and meeting new blogging buddies while exploring the gorgeous resort. Between the tips and tricks from experienced bloggers and the fun experiences we shared I will definitely be going again. "

Kelsey B."This meet-up was so inspiring! I left ready to teach and excited about what I do. It is so fun to meet other teachers that share the same passion as you and are willing to share their ideas with you. I had never created anything on TpT, and I learned so much. I met new teachers that I've stayed in close contact with and have learned so much from. It was definitely a weekend I remember and look forward to!"

Allison S. "This meet-up was very well put together and exciting because it included a room full of people just like me! It's refreshing to be in a room full of people that have the same passion for teaching that you do! It was rejuvenating and inspiring to meet new people and get new, fresh ideas! Can't wait for the 2015 meet-up!"

Simply click HERE to get more information about this event! We hope to see you there!

Happy Friday!! It's Stacy from Mrs. Johnson's First Grade! I've been a little under the weather this week so I'm just offering some Valentines ideas and a Freebie today! Our school is BIG in to healthy snacks for the students so we are limited on the amount of party items allowed...So this year we are going to let them dress up nice rather than wear their school uniforms. We are also having them decorate a box for Valentine's Day with their family and bring it to hold their Valentines. I will be sure to post the final products in my next post.

Here is one of the math games my students like to play to practice addition math facts.

We celebrate Valentine's Day with a deliciously fun Ice Cream Sundae Party. It's an easy and quick little party. Each kiddo brings in one ingredient. That results in a huge amount of ice cream sundae bar goodies!

I generally don't have a room parent to organize parties so I like to keep them simple and manageable. Having each kiddo bring in a small contribution makes that possible.

I send home a notice about the party with each kiddo. On their notice, I circle one thing for each of them to bring. There are always a few kiddos who I know will probably not bring in a contribution so I assign them something we can do without or something that I've also asked from other students - that way we're covered. On my own copy of the notice, I write down the names of each student next to the item I've asked that they donate. Some things I request from several students (i.e. tubs of ice cream) so that we can be sure to have enough.

This is a sample of the notice I sent out last year.

Click the pic to see the letter larger. Click HERE to download a printer friendly black and white copy without all the dates on it for yourself.

As you can see, I make a big deal about the kiddos writing their own Valentines cards. It drives me nuts when they come in with ones their parents wrote, or worse...not "to" a particular child. My own little pet peeve.

Speaking of Valentines... Here's a link to my EDITABLE Valentines. (In a wonderful double-standard kind of way- you can TYPE in your name and your students' names if you wish) In lieu of a candy treat it includes a HOMEWORK PASS!

Hey Blog Hoppers! It's a mini week for my kiddos and I this week. Teachers had PD today so tomorrow is the start of our three day week. We'll be jamming those three days with studies of Martin Luther King Jr.!! I've got this quick and easy no-prep lesson you can slip into your plans this week! It will help those little learners better understand this BIG word and what Martin Luther King Jr. was hoping to change.

Hi everyone! It's Krista from Creative Clips. I have LOTS of goodies for you today and they are all for VALENTINE'S DAY! Free Valentine reading printables and free Valentine clipart!

It might seem too early to think about that day full of sugar-comas, glitter everywhere, Valentine tattoos stuck to kiddos' foreheads as they rip candy off of little folded cards....but....it's coming. I will be the first to admit- I. love. it. all. There is NOTHING like being a teacher on holidays- Christmas, Valentine's Day, my gosh, even Groundhog's Day was pretty thrilling for my kiddos!

I want to share with you some {FREE} Valentine's Day Reading Response Printables! I love holiday/seasonal read alouds! I created some quick reading response pages that you can use with your favorite Valentine's Day books in the next few weeks. The printables focus on fictional literature skills: story sequence, story elements and character traits. Click {HERE} to grab them!

I also included an open ended writing page that students can use to write a Valentine letter or note.

If you are looking to add to your Valentine's Day read alouds, make sure you check out some of my favorites! So many good ones and these work great with the free printables I made! I'd love for you to comment on this post with your favorite Valentine's Day book so we all can find more to love!

Sticking with the Valentine's theme- if you are looking to create some classroom resources of your own, make sure you check out the clipart freebies I have in my store! Click on the previews below!

I also have an "Unwrap your Secret Valentine" full of free images that you can find {HERE}

If still you aren't excited for Valentine's Day or maybe don't buy into the "Hallmark holiday," maybe a major deal on clipart will cheer you up?! Snatch up my Creative Clips: Valentine's Day Surprise! For $5.00 you can get $14.00 worth of clipart that will surprise you on Feb. 14th! Reward yourself as you ride out your own sugar high that day with some creative goodies!

Last thing! I want to remind everyone that I am throwing a BIG celebration for reaching 20,000 followers to my TpT store and it will run from Feb 2nd-6th!! There will be five days of new sets, dollar deals, freebies and more! Some winners will even receive over $100.00 worth of Creative Clips clipart! All giveaways will take place on my Facebook Page so make sure you follow The Creative Chalkboard and don't miss out! It's going to be a LOT of fun and a LOT of treats for you!

I am obsessed with directed drawings!!!! Who knew a 5-year-old could draw this well?!?! I didn't even know that I could draw this well!!!!!!!! Ha!!

I was first introduced to directed drawings about 4 years ago when, I got a unit from my friend, Deanna Jump and it had these Statue of Liberty directed drawing instructions in it. They looked soooo stinkin' cute!!! But, I was VERY skeptical that my students' drawings would turn out as cute as the ones that I saw on her blog!!!

Boy, was I wrong!!! I was hooked!!!!

As people walked down the hall in my school, they would stop and stare at these drawings. They noticed that EVERY. SINGLE. ONE was different and unique. They could tell that these were original drawings drawn by my budding little artist! "Did your KINDERGARTENERS draw these?!?!" They would ask. Yep!!! They sure did!!!!!

So, that's the first reason that I LOVE directed drawings!!! These are NOT your cookie cutter "art" projects that you so commonly see coming from Kinder classrooms. This is REAL art. They are real, unique masterpieces and I think that's part of why the kids love them so much too!!!

The second reason that I LOVE them so much is because it raises their confidence as artists so much!!!!! You would not believe how many perfect little Frankensteins that I saw everywhere after we did these!! In their journals, on the backs of their papers, in the writing center. But, it didn't stop there.....

I noticed that they were using the steps and techniques that we did in our directed drawings in the drawings that they were doing on their own!! Their skills were carrying over!

Directed Drawings are a GREAT exercise for listening and following directions!!! The kids know that they HAVE to stay focused and follow directions, or their drawings won't turn out. EVERY SINGLE one of my students listens intently as I give my step by step directions. They actually LOVE these activities because they LOVE the finished products!

You do NOT have to buy any lessons to make your drawings!! If you've never done them before, you should check out THIS awesome blog!!!!!!!! It's called ARTventurous This is where I got the directions for the reindeer (below) and the Frankensteins that you saw earlier.

Once you get the hang of it, you won't need the directions anymore. I did the Santas on my own in December and these snowmen last week! The key is breaking it down. Draw one single line at a time and describe exactly how to do it. I make sure EVERYONE'S pencil is DOWN while I'm giving the direction and their eyes have to be ON ME. I don't let them draw with me as I'm doing it. They watch a step with pencils down and once I've explained that step and drawn it, THEN they can pick their pencils up and do it.

Just have your students draw with pencil, then trace it with a black crayon. Then, color it in...(always reminding them to push hard). I also do the tracing step by step so that they don't fly through their tracing and it turns out sloppy. We trace ONE thing at a time :) For the backgrounds, I just mix a little tempra paint with water....and that's it.

We have started doing a directed drawing EVERY month this year! The kids love them, I love them, AND everyone that walks past them, can't help but stop and look at how different and unique our little masterpieces are!!

I encourage you to try them NEXT week!!! An activity that's FUN, encourages focus and attention for the entire time, builds confidence and gives your students the skills that they need to become proud, talented little artists!! You will be amazed at what your kids are drawing after your first lesson!!

Today, I'm sharing my MLK mini pack with you. These are a few of the pages that I'll be using with my students next week as we study such an influential man... Martin Luther King. I've included a few graphic organizers (Thinking Maps) and a prompt that contains two versions of lines (larger for K and smaller for 1 and up). I hope you can use these and it makes your life a little easier!

Most of you know that I am a kindergarten teacher by day.... graphic designer by night... and sometimes a wine connoisseur by night as well. If you're looking for a small little clipart set to use in your products, then be sure to check out my new mini MLK set! It's under $2.00 and contains everything you see in the preview below.

Hello, Friends! Lindsey, The Teacher Wife, here! Today I want to share with you a goal activity that you can do with your students each month. January is a great month for setting goals and resolutions, but why limit goal setting to just January?! I think goals should be set and achieved all year long. I am the type of person who thrives on setting and accomplishing my goals. I have set some goals in my life that have brought me such happiness and I love the idea of teaching children to do the same thing! Goal setting is important! Click {here} to download this fun Monthly Goal freebie. Enjoy!

Blog Hoppin' is a collaborative blog of educators from various grade levels and is in NO way affiliated with the owners of Teachers Pay Teachers {TpT/teacherspayteachers.com} The opinions and ideas expressed on this site are reflective of the individual educator/author. Thank you.